Some types of disposable cups that are typically used for holding beverages include those comprised of polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, and paper. Although polystyrene cups are aesthetically pleasing, they provide little, if any, insulation and are, therefore, mainly used for holding cold drinks. Condensation may form on the outside of a polystyrene cup containing a cold drink, thereby making the cup wet, cold, and/or uncomfortable to use and/or hold for prolonged periods of time. The condensation may also make the polystyrene cup slippery, thus making the cup even more difficult and/or uncomfortable to hold. Another drawback of polystyrene cups is that they are environmentally unfriendly because they are neither biodegradable nor easily recyclable.
A second type of cup, comprised of expanded polystyrene, or EPS (e.g., a Styrofoam® cup), is an excellent thermal insulator and may, thus, maintain the temperature of a drink—whether hot or cold—for extended periods of time. Expanded polystyrene cups are generally inexpensive and comfortable to handle because their exteriors stay close to ambient temperature regardless of the temperature of the beverage inside the cup. One drawback of expanded polystyrene cups, however, is that they are environmentally unfriendly because expanded polystyrene is neither biodegradable nor easily recyclable. As a result, the use of expanded polystyrene cups has been banned in some municipalities. Additionally, because the expanded polystyrene cups must be printed after they have been formed and their rough surface does not allow high-resolution printing, a slow and costly process must be used for printing on expanded polystyrene cups.
Standard, single-wall paper cups are generally recyclable and biodegradable and are, therefore, considered environmentally sound. However, paper cups are relatively poor thermal insulators, and, thus, a beverage in a paper cup quickly warms (if cold) or cools (if hot). Paper cups are also generally uncomfortable to handle because a hot or cold drink may uncomfortably cool or heat a hand. Additionally, as with polystyrene cups, a cold drink may cause condensation to appear on the outside of the paper cup, making the cup slippery and/or difficult to hold. Furthermore, the single-wall construction of paper cups makes them particularly fragile, and, thus, paper cups filled with liquid may crumble after prolonged handling.
Multi-layered paper cups have been designed to provide thermal insulation and increased strength, which are often lacking in single-layered paper cups. Multi-layered cups generally comprise several layers including an outer layer, a middle insulating layer, and an inner layer. Although generally strong and thermally efficient, multi-layered cups may be impractical and expensive to manufacture. For example, because multi-layered cups may require three times more material to manufacture than single-layered cups, the cost of materials required to manufacture a multi-layered cup may be expensive.
It would be desirable to provide a multi-layered container or cup that assists in addressing one or more of the above disadvantages.